{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O166038"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O166038/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2010EJ2044/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2010EJ2044/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2010EJ2044","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O166038/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O166038","accessionNumber":"M.211-1917","objectType":"Figure of Kuixing","titles":[{"title":"Kuixing","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This bronze figure portraits Kui Xing, a Daoist star-god connected with popular beliefs and astronomy. Kui Xing is the chief star in the Big Dipper constellation, but he is also called God of Literature, and worshipped by candidates to the imperial examinations. Dreaming of Kui Xing in the night before the exams was considered an auspicious sign.\r\n\r\nThe god is often represented holding a writing brush in his right hand and a scroll or a tablet in his left hand; here, a trapezoidal grain measure is balanced in his upturning left foot. The measure (<i>dou</i>) represents a container for wisdom and inspiration, but also holds an astronomical meaning: <i>dou</i> is the Chinese name for the Dipper, a part of the Big Dipper constellation.","physicalDescription":"Bronze figure of the god Kui Xing, displayed as a man with a grotesque face and a beard, holding an ingot or tablet in his left hand and with a measure for grain on his upturned left foot. With modern wood stand of turned mahogany.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"bronze","id":"AAT10957"},{"text":"wood","id":"AAT11914"}],"techniques":[{"text":"cast","id":"x32615"},{"text":"carved","id":"AAT53149"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Bronze, cast. Wood stand, carved","categories":[{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"},{"text":"Daoism","id":"THES49032"}],"styles":[{"text":"Ming","id":"AAT18438"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"EAS","id":"THES48596"},"images":["2010EJ2044"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"44 (VA)","id":"THES49802"},"free":"","case":"CA57","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Figure of Kui Xing","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"China","id":"x29398"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1550-1640","earliest":"1550-01-01","latest":"1640-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"H.L. Florence Bequest","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"23.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Figure of Kui Xing, cast bronze, China, Ming dynasty, 1550-1640","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Kerr, Rose. <u>Later Chinese bronzes</u>. London: Bamboo Publishing Ltd in association with the Victoria & Albert Museum, 1990. p. 84, no. 66."}],"production":"<u>From Register</u>; Kui Xing is a demon god of literature.","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Kui Xing","id":"N7934"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"大魁星君","id":"CIT277726"},{"text":"綵帶","id":"CIT282933"},{"text":"站立 (人體姿勢)","id":"CIT278931"},{"text":"敞懷","id":"CIT290704"},{"text":"腰巾","id":"CIT0292296"},{"text":"褲","id":"CIT0292155"},{"text":"魁星","id":"CIT0290415"},{"text":"斗","id":"CIT0293623"},{"text":"元寶","id":"CIT280979"},{"text":"鬚 (人體面部)","id":"CIT288971"},{"text":"執持","id":"CIT282802"},{"text":"腰佩","id":"CIT288157"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Bronze figure of Kui Xing\r\n1550-1640, Ming dynasty\r\nKui Xing was a Daoist star-god prayed for success in examinations. He holds a gold or silver ingot in his hand with a measure for grain balanced on his foot.","date":{"text":"1991?","earliest":"1991-01-01","latest":"1991-12-31"}},{"text":"Figure of Kuixing\r\nMing dynasty\r\n1550-1640\r\n\r\nKuixing is the chief star in the Big Dipper constellation. He is also a Daoist star god worshipped as the god of literature by candidates to the imperial examinations.  \r\n\r\nCast bronze\r\n\r\nH.L. Florence Bequest\r\nMuseum no. M.211-1917","date":{"text":"2009","earliest":"2009-01-01","latest":"2009-12-31"}},{"text":"BRONZE FIGURE OF KUI XING with wood stand, Ming dynasty (1368-1644), height 23.5cm, Florence Bequest.\r\n(Published in <u>Later Chinese Bronzes</u>, 1989 by Rose Kerr).","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null}}],"partNumbers":["M.211-1917"],"accessionNumberNum":"211","accessionNumberPrefix":"M","accessionYear":1917,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-09","recordCreationDate":"2008-08-14","availableToBook":false}}